Reflection by travel team

"Yes, we were in the Dominican Republic on an engineering implementation trip. Most of our time was spent taking bacterial tests and drilling through concrete walls. Years down the road, though, I won’t remember which sets of faucets tested negative for coliform or where we laid the pipes. The overall experience of living in small, rural Don Juan will stand out more than the engineering work that brought me there.

I will remember the schoolchildren, during breaks in class, chasing my fellow travel team member, Will, to try and get his hat. He’d be sitting on the steps outside the school, as a smiling seven-year-old snuck up behind him, trying to be stealthy. It would always turn into a game, with hordes of children trying to climb Will and take his hat as he held it high in the air. I will never know why they liked his hat so much - I was always right next to him, also wearing a hat. Mine was never once stolen.

I will remember the children, asking excitedly if we would play baseball with them after classes ended. We always had too much work to do to play with them, but the field was right across from the school. We would watch them stream out at the end of the day and make teams, playing for a few hours in the warm afternoon air. I regret not finding the time to join in a game with them.I will remember being startled by the frog that lived in my shower. Running water is scarce, so in order to bathe, 5-gallon buckets are filled, and smaller cups used to dump water on yourself. The shower had an open window, and a little frog had found his way into the bucket! He was apparently a frequent visitor, as we shared the shower many more times during that week. I’d never showered with someone else before, and it was a fun experience.

I will remember returning to Las Casitas, and our host Chichi’s house, at noon every day. We’d meet with the Sigma Chi brothers and all shared lunch, made by the aforementioned Chichi. We were never offered seconds - another portion was always put on our plates regardless of whether we wanted it or not. This middle of the day reunion, when we got to bond with others in the community, was a nice respite from our work.

I will remember Dwight, the advising engineer traveling with us, talking with the community members. They do not speak English, and Dwight does not speak Spanish, yet productive conversations somehow always occurred. I’d occasionally join Dwight and his host family sitting in the street in the evenings, and I’d start translating, but it turned out they never need it. I don’t know how he did it, but it impressed me every time. Dwight’s connection to the people of Don Juan, on his third trip, was astonishing.

This was my first engineering trip, and I can say it made a huge impact on me. As I continue my collegiate career and continue beyond, these memories will stay with me and motivate me - they remind me why I am pursuing an engineering degree. The experiences drive me to find a path that is as fulfilling as that week in the Dominican Republic."